Tube calipering and recording mechanism



Aug. l5, 1950 v P, E, CHANEY ET AL 2,518,663

' TUBE CALIPERING AND RECORDING MEcmmsxwv Filed oct. 26, 1945 2sheets-sheet 1 Aug. l5, 1950 y AF. E. HANl-:Y ET AL.

TUBE CALIPERING AND RECORDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 26,1945 Patented ug. 15, 1950 TUBE CALIPERING AND RECORDING BIECHANISMPreston E. Chaney and William E. Barnes, Beaumont, Tex., assignors toSun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New JerseyApplication October 26, 1945, Serial No. 624,811

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a calipering and recording device formeasuring and recording variations in the internal surface wear ofpipes, tubing and the like conduits. More particularly this inventionrelates to a device for determining variations of internal surfaceconiigurations of extended lengths of conduits, such as oil w`elltubing, that may contain uids under pressure during the recordingoperation.

It is a well known fact that oil and gas well tubing becomes worn andcorroded after periods of use, depending upon the operating conditionsto which it is submitted. Many wells produce, in addition to oil andgas, water having a high acidic content which actively attacks andcorrodes the tubing resulting in the formation of pits and depressionson the interna1 surfaces of the tubing. In addition to corrosion,scoring and Wearing of the internal surfaces of the tubing is caused bythe passage of well tools through the tubing and by the presence offoreign materials in the fluid flow. The pits or depressions resultingfrom the scoring and corrosion of the well tubing are sometimes sosevere as to reduce the wall thickness of the tubing to such an extentthat it will not withstand the pressure of the fluids flowingtherethrough. When such failure occurs, the tubing becomes ruptured andthe fluid pressure originally confined therewithin is imposed directlyupon the Wel1 casing,

which may or may not be able to withstand pressures of this magnitude.To prevent such failure of the well tubing it is desirable periodicallyto determine the condition of the interior of the tube walls in orderthat replacements can be made and proper precautions taken to preventrupture of the tubing.

Calipering devices in general, which usually involve the application ofelectrical circuits, are now available for measuring the variations inthe inside diameter of uncased Well bores. However, devices of this typeare not suitable for insertion in small diameter Well tubing and furtherare not adaptable for measuring and recording variations in internalwallsurf'ace conditions of Well tubing under pressure due to thepractical diflicu1ties of running a multiple strand insulated electricalcable into the hole under pressure.

With the present mechanism `a thin wire can be used for dropping thedevice into the well tubing and by the use of conventional seal ringstheinlet end of the tubing can be sealed off and the caliperingoperation carried on with the tubing under high pressure.

It is a. principal object of this invention to provide a caliperingdevice which may be 1owered or dropped as a unit into a well tubingunder pressure and effect a continuous recording of maximum internalsurface Wear of the tubing in order that the location of maximumcorrosion and wear conditions existing along the entire length of thetubing can be determined.`

An important object of this invention resides in the fact that thecalipering and recording device is completely self-contained andmechanically operated and does not require the use of insulated electriccables or the like, it being only necessary to lower the caliperingdevice into the well and then pull it back to obtain a complete andcontinuous record of the internal surfaces of the well tubing.

It is also an important object of this invention to provide a caliperingdevice for measuring and recording the exact longitudinal position andthe depth cf any pit or depression on the internal surface of the welltubing.

Calipering and recording devices for determining variations in internaldiameters are generally old but the results obtained with such knowninstruments indicate, at best, the variation in average inside diameterand so do not indicate individual depressions on the internal surfacesbeing examined. It is therefore an object of the present invention toprovide a calipering device of the type referred to in Which a pluralityof feelers or indicators are employed to engage with the internalsurfaces of the tubing being measured and the feelers or indicators areso connected with the recording mechanism that any one of a plurality offeelers may move into a depression on the internal surface and actuatethe recording mechanism while the remainder of the feelers continue tocontact the normal walls within the tubing to center the device Within'the tubing and thus enable, when a surface pit is encountered, adetermination of the extent of each individual pit or depressionencountered; and to record such determinations or measurements on arecord chart.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a device orinstrument that Will record in simple and very readable form the depth,1ongitudinal extension and precise location of pits or depressions. Themechanism of the invention, accomplishing this object, is operable bywholly mechanical means in wells ofy any depth, whether or not underwell pressure.

Applicants device can be 'operated to'produce a compact record depictingthe precise depth and precise location of only the deepest pit in 3 thecalipered wall surface at any given cross-section of the tube duringcalipering passage of the device. Such a record has never before beenproduced.

It is a furtherobjectof this invention to provide a calipering device ofthe class described, the operation of which is not affected by thepresence of oil, gases and other iluids under pressure, so that it maybe inserted within the tubing string of a well under pressure withoutthe need of stufllng boxes or heavy friction loadings on the bearings ofthe operating members in the device, thus facilitating the operation andincreasing the accuracy of the calipering and recording mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a calipering andrecording device of the class described which is completelyself-contained and mechanically operated, driving mechanism beingprovided in the device for contacting the walls of the well tubing andactuating the recording mechanism in response to the movement of thedevice into or out of therwell tubing, the recording device being socontained as to enable a continuous record for long lengths of tubingstring to be made on a minimum of record space.

An essential and unique operating characteristic of the invention is theproduction of a unitary record accurately depicting a preciserepresentation of maximum calipered wear at any given cross-section of avery long string of tubing; such, for example, as thousands of feet ofhigh pressure gas or distillate we1l tubing in petroleum or gas elds.

During passage of the calipering and recording instrument through such astring of tubing, each cross-section is calipered simultaneously at aplurality of pointsv around its circumference; but only a caliperedpoint representing maximum internal tube wall surface wear is recorded.Such recording is in the form of corresponding deviation from a normallysmooth line being scribed Aon a record chart.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of the bottom portion of the device.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. A

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.A

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section in continua-g tion of Figure 1 andshowing the central portion of the device.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line S--G of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section in continuation of Figure 5 andshowing the top portion of the device, and l Figure `8 is a transversesection on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

The calipering Vdevice of this invention is com-` prised of anelongatedhousing containing at one end, which may be considered thelower portion of the device, the driving mechanism as shown in Figure 1for actuating the recorder operating mechanism which is mountedgenerally in the central portion of the housing as shown in Fig. 5 andwhich in turn cooperates with the stylus which is actuated by the feeleror indicator mechanisms located in the upper portion of the housing asshown in Figure '7. The device is lowered into the tubing tov beexamined by securing a wire line of small diameter such as a Halliburtonwire line at lits upper end and dropping the assembly into the welltubing by suchwell known apparatus and procedures as are used inconnection with bottom hole pressure and sampling bombs. As the assemblyis raised or lowered into the Well tubing, the driving mechanism at thelower portion engages the tubing inner walls and by frictional contacttherewith operates the mechanism for rotating a recording chart while asthe feelers or indicators engage the walls the recording stylus isactuated in reciprocation to effect the record. The cooperation of thestylus actuating mechanism and recording mechanism with each other issuch that a. spiral or helical record from the top to the bottom of acylindrical chart is produced and any variations in maximum internalsurface wear are indicated by vertical deviations from a true spiral orhelical line.

The particular association. of the various mechanisms of the device issuch, as will be appreciated from an understanding of the details of theinvention, that the recording can be effective in either direction ofmovement of the device through the tubing and either end of the devicemay be used to drop or lower the device into the tubing.

For a more detailed understanding of the invention reference will bemade to the drawings wherein a housing is shown to be made up ofsections l0 and il which preferably are threaded vtogether while sectionI0 is closed by a threaded cap member I2 and section II 'is closed by athreaded plug I3 providing in eiect an enclosed chamber therebetween.Extending axially from cap member I3, as shown in Figure 7, are aplurality of studs I4 to the free ends of which is secured a supportblock I5 which as indicated is provided with threads for the receptionof a sinker bar provided with a wire line to permit the assembled deviceto be lowered into the well tubing'.

The support block I5 is provided with a plurality of bracket arms I1 towhich are pivotally connected by pins I8 (Figures 7 and 8) a pluralityof bell crank levers I9 each of which is positioned between two adjacentbracket arms. Rollers or indicating feelers 20 are mounted on the end ofthe outer arm of the bell crank levers and are adapted to engage theinner walls of the tubing to be calipered while the inner arms of thelevers extend generally radially inwardly. Compression coil Vsprings ZIhave one end disposed in sockets 22 formed in support block I3 while theother end of the springs are secured 'to the inwardly extending shortlever arms to movement of the rollers" 2|! and through pins 23 which aresecured to the freev ends of the short lever arms, a collar 24 on astylus push rod 25 atrasos will reciprocate the push rod 25 inaccordance with movements of the rollers 20.

The stylus push rod 25 is journaled in an elongated bushing 26 which isthreaded for adjustment lengthwise of the housing and is prevented fromrotating but permitted limited axial movement by a pin 28 andcooperating slot 21. The bushing 25 is threaded through the plug |3 andhas one end positioned exteriorly of the plug |3 having a weak coilspring 29 which normally urges the collar 24 of the push rod 25 intoengagement with the pinsI 23. Thus movement of the feelers 2u causes acorresponding axial movement of the stylus push rod 25. In Figure '1 thefeelers are in their extended position and the push rod and collar 24are at their limit of movement. It will be understood of course thatwhen the feelers 20 are retracted the spring 29 will urge the collar 24and push rod 25 away from the end of bushing 26..

The supporting block |5 is provided with an axial bore in which ismounted a compression spring 36 and a plunger member 31 held in place bya set screw 38. The plunger 31 is provided with a collar 39 whichengages all of the inwardly extending lever arms of the bell cranklevers. I9 and through the coil spring 36 the rollers 20 are each urgedoutwardly equi-distantly in engage-` ment with the interior walls of thetubing. The arrangement of springs 2| as above discussed permits each ofthe rollers 2|) to move independently and the stylus push rod 25 will beaxially moved a distance corresponding to the greatest outward movementof any one of the feelers 20 while the spring 36 functions to center thecalipering device within the tubing. This is an important feature of theinvention since it provides for an indication of each individualdepression in the internal surface of the tubing being examined andprovides for its transmission to the stylus push rod even though themajority of the feeler members are at that time sensing the averagediameter of the tubing;

A recording stylus 49 is fixed to the lower end of the stylus push rod25 and is adapted to cooperate with a recording chart cylinder 4| toeffect a record. The recording cylinder shown in Figure 'I is providedwith end wall 43 and receives a recording chart (shown in dotted lines)which is provided with a spring ring 42 at its lower end and which hason its surface a suitable oil and water resistantmaterial of the typedisclosed in our co-pending application for Cylindrical Recording ChartConstruction, Serial No. 624,814, filed of even date herewith. Thethreaded shaft 45 is fixed centrally to end wall 43 and is threadedthrough a partition 46 which is secured at 41 shaft 45 will cause both arotary and axial movement of the recording chart 4| with respect to thestylus 49 in order to eiect a spiral or helical tioned adjacent thestylus 40 so that upon vmaxi- .to the housing I I so that rotation ofthe threaded .record corresponding in pitch to the pitch of mum inwardmovement of the feelers 29 causing an equivalent upward axial movementof thev stylus pushl rod 25, the stylus 40 and thebent portion 49 of thearm'48 will contact and the stylus` will be moved away from the innersur- Y.

face of the recording chart. This arrangementy permits the recordingchart to be inserted or-removed withoutcontacting the stylus by merelyurging the outer arms of the bell crank lever |9l inwardly to allow thepush rod 25 to rise the distance permitted by the length of slot 21 inthe shaft 25.

For an explanation of the manner in which the recording chart isactuated, reference is had to driving mechanism shown in Figures 1-6 ofthe drawings. Adjacent the closed end of the housing I0, an idler wheel50 is pivotally mounted at 5| to an arm 52 which in turn is pivoted at53 to the housing I0. A'spring 54, which may be a coil spring or anyother suitable resilient means, normally urges the idler wheel 50outwardly through a slot suiciently to contact the inner walls of tubingto be calipered. A friction-v ally driven wheel 56 extends through anopening 51l suiciently to contact the inner wall of the tubingdiagonally opposite to that of idler wheel 50 and is maintained infrictional contact with the inner wall of the tubing. Thus movement ofthe calipering device through the tubing which is being calipered willcause a rotation of the friction driven wheel 56.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, the wheel 56 is mounted `ona shaft 58 to which is connected at one end a. worm 59 which meshes withthe worm gear 60 secured at one end of the vertical shaft 6| shown inFigure 1. If desired any suitable form of ratchet mechanism (not shown)may be interposed in the connection between the worm gear 60 and theshaft 6| to cause the shaft to be driven in one direction only inresponse to either an upward or a downward movement only of thecalipering device through the welltubing. At its other end the shaft 6|is provided with an overload release assembly- 63 shown in detail atFigure 4. The assembly is comprised of indentations at the end of shaftmember 6| which are enclosed by a collar member 64, having a pin 65,extending radially through the collar 64 for cooperating with theindentations and a spring ring 66, is provided for normally urging thepin into one of the indentations. The overload release member C3functions to permit the shaft 6| and friction driven wheel 56 to rotateeven though the recording cylinder may be jammed or has reached its'limit of movement without causing an injury to the device.

A vertical shaft A61 is associated with the overload release assembly 63and has a pinion gearf 6.8

mounted thereon to mesh with Aa. spur gear 69 f secured to the end of avertical squarev shaped drive shaft 10. The drive shaft 19 :is journaledJ 'at 1| (Figure 5)' through a strut or cross armi12,

secured'to the walls of the housing VII'.; .The square. shaft .10*extends into a similarlyshaped opening 14iin therthreaded shs'a.f'.tf"45so thetaspline'd connection isgmade therebetween which imparts rotationAfrom the shaft 19' to the threaded` shaft 45 while permitting atelescoping movement of the two shafts relative to each other.Platememberor nut 15 is threadably conriectedv to'shaft 45 and guiderods 15 extend through apertures therein in' order to maintain themoving parts in alignment.I A spring 44 is provided between plate member15 and partition n46 and functionsto. prevent backlash in the "threaded:connection between shaft 45 .and` the partition 4,6'. varrangementflirtwill be seen permits the c'hartto rotate and' simultaneously',

ve axiallyof the housing Qf the welltubing calipering dehis i `ntionishoildnow be readily .ign-

rothfersliquid under pressure without affecting its operation. Themechanism is attached to a wire line and lowered by any suitable meansinto the well tubing to be examined. Upon entering the tubing, thewheels 50 and 56 contact the tubing walls and are caused to rotate androtation of the wheel 56 will cause' a rotation of shaft lll which inturn causes a rotation of the recording cylinder I I together with anaxial movement of the record cylinder corresponding to the threads onthe threaded shaft 45. Thus a spiral or helical record is produced on aQsuitable oil and water resistant recording surface of the recordingcylinder 4| by the cooperation of the stylus 40. The stylus l is alsomoved axially in accordance with the outward movement of the pluralityof feeler or indicator members which are maintained in contact with thetubing walls by the springs 2l and 36. 'I'he connections between thefeeler or indicator members 20 and the stylus push rod and stylus 40 aresuch that the stylus is axially moved an amount to correspond with thegreatest outward movement of any one of the plurality of feeler orindicator members'l which it will be observed are movable independentlyof each other.

Thus the spiral or helical line obtained on the recording surface willbe broken by angular deviations corresponding to axial movement of thestylus which in turn is in accordance with a change in maximum caliperedinternal wear of the tubing being examined.

Since the complete calipering and recording device is designedparticularly for calipering deep oil and gas wells as of 10-to 15thousand feet in depth, the mechanism which actuates the stylus isarranged to produce on the record an indication of each tube length thathas been calipered, This is done by taking advantage of the fact thatthe tubes are usually joined by outside couplings and hence a spacewhich is equal to the thickness of the tubes will be encountered atintervals corresponding to the tubing couplings. Preferably, however,bushing 26 is adjusted so as to limit the maximum outward travel of thefeelers 20 to correspond to a selected known diameter which is less thanthe internal diameter of the tubing couplings. Thus at each tubingcoupling an angu lar deviation of the recorded line corresponding inamplitude to the aforesaid selected known diameter will result. Bycomparing other smaller deviations with this known maximum deviation.the depth of other surface irregularities may be determined.

When the lead of the threaded shaft 45 and its speed of rotation areknown it is an easy matter to calculate from the record obtained theexact position of any unsafe conditions which may be found to exist inthe tubing. Further, with a known amount of leverage between the feelermembers and the stylus, it is possible to calculate from the record theactual depth of a depression on the inner surfaces of the tubing wall orthe change in diameter.

In our co-pending application for Driving and Recording Mechanism forCalipering Device, Serial No. 624,813, led of even date herewith,certain features of the present invention and improvements thereon aredisclosed and claimed. It is to be understood that details of mechanismsdisclosed in these applications may be' utilized with the presentapparatus.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect byletters Patent is:

1. In an internal tube wall calipering andreoording device adapted to bepenned through an extended length of tubing the combination comprisigigan elongated. housing, recording means including a recorder member and asingle stylus member mounted in said housing, a plurality oiindependently movable feelers spaced circumferentially of said housingand adapted for independent lateral movement between said housing andthe tube Wall being calipered, mechanical actuating means for saidrecording means common to all of said feelers and mounted in'saidhousing for reciprocal movement therein, means for resiliently urgingsaid common actuating means in one direction, and a plurality ofmovement transmitting means, one for each of said feelers, operableindependently of each other to transmit outward movement of said feelersto said common actuating means, each movement transmit- 2. In aninternal tube wall calipering and re- A cording device adapted to bepassased through an extended length of tubing the combination comprisingan elongatedv housing, recording means including a recorder member and asingle stylus member mounted in said housing, a piurality ofindependently movable Ieelers spaced circumferentiaily of said housingand adapted for independent lateral movement between said housing andthe tube wall being calipered, mechanical actuating means for saidrecording means common to all of said feelers and mounted in saidhousing for reciprocal movement therein, means for resiliently urgingsaid common actuating means in one direction, and a plurality ofmovement transmitting means, one for each of said feelers, operableindependently of each other to transmit outward movement of said feelersto said common actuating means, each movement transmitting meansincluding means for constantly and independently urging thecorresponding feeler outwardly of said housing and for simultaneouslyurging itsmovement transmitting means toward pressure contact with saidcommon actuating means in ODDOSition to, and with a pressure forcegreater than, the first-mentioned urging means; whereby said commonactuating means is movable in response to any of said feelers Ibut ismoved to an extent corresponding to and controlled by only the greatestoutward feeler movement at any instance during a cali-pering passage.

3. In an internal tube wall calipering and recording device adapted'tobe passaged through an extended length of tubing the combinationcomprising an elongated housing, recording means including a recordermember and a single stylus member mounted in said housing, a pluralityof independently movable feelers spaced circumferentially of saidhousing and adapted for independent lateral movement between saidhousing andthe tube wall being calipered, mechanical actuating means forsaid recording means common to all of said feelers and mounted in saidhousing for reciprocal movement therein. means for resiliently urgingsaid common actuating means in one direction. and a plurality ofmovement transmitting means, one foreach of said feelers, operableindependently of each other to transmit outward movement of said feelersto said commonactuating means, each` movement transmitting meansincluding a resilient element for constantly and independently urgingthe corresponding feeler outwardly of said housing and forsimultaneously urging -its movement transmitting means toward pressurecontact with said common actuating means in yieldable opposition to, andwith a pressure force greater than, the first-mentioned urging means;whereby said common actuating means is movable in response to any ofsaid feelers but is moved to an extent corresponding to and controlledby only the greatest outward feeler movement at any instance during acalipering passage.

4. In an internal tube wall calipering and recording device adapted tobe passaged through an extended length of tubing the combinationcomprising an elongated housing, recording means including a recordermember anda single stylus member mounted in said housing, a, pluralityof independently movable calipering means carried by said housing atcircumferentially spaced locations and adapted for independent lateralmovement between said housing and the tube wall being ealipered,mechanical actuating means for said recording means common to all ofsaid calipering means and mounted in said housing for reciprocalmovement therein, means for resiliently urging said common actuatingmeans in one direction, said calipering means each having a feeler partmovable outwardly of said housing toward continuous contact withadjacent tube wall portions during a calipering passage and a partmovable with such feeler part v f andl extending inwardly of saidhousing toward abutment with said common actuating means. saidpalipering means each also including means for constantly andindependently urging the corresponding `feeler part outwardly of saidhousingL--and for simultaneously urging the corresponding inwardlyextending part toward abutment with said common actuating means inopposition to, and with a pressure force greater than, saidrst-mentioned urging means.

' PRESTON E. CHANEY. WILLIAM E. BARNES.

REFERENCES CITED :The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

` UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,292 Luders Dec. 2, 1879526,383 Dale iSept. 25, 1894 680,145 Hawley Aug. 6, 1901 713,784 MellorNov. 18, 1902 1,339,955 Hardel May 11, 1920 1,465,295 Bartholdy Aug. 21,1923 1,507,272 -Buckingham Sept. 2, 1924 1,895,343 Robbins May 12, 193121,078,623 Wilde Apr. 27, 1937 2,102,080 Kinley Dec. 14, 1937 2,235,533Roberts Mar. 18, 1941 27,267,110 Kinley et al. Dec. 23, 1941 2,322,343Brandon June 22, 1943 Poole May 9, 1944 l OTHER REFERENCES Publ.: Oiland Gas Journal, Jan. 6, 1945, pages 46 'and 47, W. H. Short, Jr.

